Notes:  Icarus is the world's 6th tallest tree, the 4th tallest tree in Redwood National Park, and the 2nd tallest tree in Helios Grove. Naturalists Chris K. Atkins and Michael W. Taylor named the tree after Icarus, son of Daedalus, from Greek Mythology because it has a dead, sun-bleached top. As Taylor put it, "Icarus flew too close to The Sun and got burned." Elam Creek is also known as Dry Heaves Creek.

The film In Search of the Tallest: A Redwoods Adventure includes a segment about Icarus.

Icarus and Daedalus are just one tree apart.

Drive: Icarus is 255 mi (410 km) north of San Francisco near the community of Orick.

From U.S. Highway 101 just north of Orick, turn onto Bald Hills Road and drive 0.3 mi (0.5 km) to the Redwood Creek Trail sign. Turn right at the sign and drive 0.5 mi (0.8 km) to the Redwood Creek trailhead parking lot.

Hike: GPS-assisted navigation is recommended for this hike. From the parking lot, cross the wooden bridge at the trailhead and hike south 2.7 mi (4.3 km) along Redwood Creek Trail toward Elam Creek. Just after the trail crosses Hayes Creek, less than 1.0 mi (1.6 km) from the trailhead, you will see Redwood Creek on your right. Continue south along the trail until you reach the seasonal footbridge which crosses Redwood Creek 1.7 mi (2.7 km) from the trailhead. Cross Redwood Creek, return to the trail, and continue hiking south another 1.0 mi (1.6 km), past McArthur Creek and under a fallen tree, to Elam Creek. Just before the lower Elam Creek bridge (turn around if you reach this bridge), turn right/west at the Redwood Creek Trail sign on your left and the Orick Horse Trail sign on your right and hike west 0.1 mi (0.2 km) along the short spur trail, past Elam Camp and stable, to the junction with Elam Creek Loop Trail (also known as Overnight Loop Trail). Continue straight past the trail junction and hike west 0.2 mi (0.3 km) along the Elam Creek Loop Trail to the upper Elam Creek bridge and your first view of Icarus and Daedalus. 140 ft (43 m) past the bridge, just before you reach a small gully, exit the trail to the right and follow an old logging road southwest/uphill 350 ft (106 m). Where the logging road veers left/south (away from Elam Creek), near 41.26114 -124.03161, exit the logging road to the right, using a GPS device, hike northwest 70 ft (21 m) off-trail to Icarus. After visting Icarus, hike northeast 25 ft (8 m) to Daedalus or hike southwest 0.1 mi (0.2 km) off-trail to Helios.

Creek Warning: Icarus is not accessible via Redwood Creek Trail when Redwood Creek has high water levels and the seasonal footbridge is not installed. It is best to visit Icarus from July through October when Redwood Creek is low enough to wade across. To visit Icarus whenever Redwood Creek is impassable, use the 3.1 mi (5.0 km) longer alternate route via Orick Horse Trail.

View Icarus Tree location in Google Maps

Panorama: Click panorama to take a virtual tour of Icarus Tree

Photos: Pictures of Icarus Tree taken from different sides